Elliott Heath enjoys a weekend in Northamptonshire at the impressive Whittlebury Park
Whittlebury Park Golf Break Review
Whittlebury Park lies across the road from the iconic Silverstone racing track and offers up a fantastic venue for a golf break.
The club has four loops of nine holes, with the grounds set amongst picturesque Northamptonshire countryside.
On our visit, we played the 1905 (yellow) and the Royal Whittlewood (red) courses.
The 1905 course is open enough for higher handicappers but gets tricky around the greens.
The standout holes are the beautiful dogleg-right par-4 7th, which is home to a beautiful oak tree on the apex of the dogleg, and the split-fairway par-4 8th, which is again impeded by beautiful woodland.
The long and straight par-5 ninth plays up to the clubhouse before we ventured out to the Royal Whittlewood course, which offers up plenty of variation.
It gets its name from the ancient Royal Whittlewood Forest and there are some visually striking holes in and amongst the trees as well as plenty of water to navigate along the way.
The dogleg-right par-4 opener requires an accurate tee shot before a carry over water onto the green, testing your skills early where a poor strike will lead to bogey or much worse.
Every hole on the red course is memorable and it is certainly the better and more testing of the two nines we played, and that's not to say that the 1905 was poor - the quality on offer is high.
We loved the downhill par-3 5th hole, which plays over water, and then the stand-out hole is probably the 6th, a par-4 that borders the beautiful countryside and winds its way through a chute in the trees and up towards the beautiful green setting.
Beginners will love the yellow course and lower-handicaps will enjoy the testing red.
We can't comment on the two other courses but are sure that a weekend playing all four loops of nine will be a joy.
Related: Stay and Play - Our UK and Ireland Top 50
Away from the golf, Whittlebury is also home to an exceptional Day Spa as well as a Leisure Club, featuring a pool, sauna, steam room and jacuzzis, housed within the hotel complex just a few strides from the courses.
There's also a number of restaurants, including Astons, offering up relaxed and classic dining, and Murrays, which is a fine dining experience.
The Silverstone Bar is also a must-visit, with some very cool racing memorabilia and imagery.
Whilst the on-course facilities are great, the off-course amenities like the exceptional food and spa offerings make it a very well-rounded offering and a setting for a fantastic weekend or short break.
The hotel at Whittlebury features classic and club rooms as well as suites, with the sheer size of the place making it perfect for small, medium and large groups of golfers.
Whittlebury has a very relaxed and peaceful atmosphere with friendly staff and is home to a number of guests, from golfers to spa-goers, wedding and function guests.
The facilities are fantastic for groups of golfers as well as families and couples.
-
The Three Most Confusing Rules In Golf And How To Interpret ThemAt times, golf’s rules can be complex and confusing. Here we look at three of the most confusing rules in golf and give you the info you need to understand them.
-
There's A Growing Divide Between Club Members And Nomadic Golfers When It Comes To Handicapping... And I'm Concerned About ItSome golfers believe competition play should be a pre-requisite to achieving a ‘valid’ handicap, while others feel you should be able to submit a card whenever you want
